Mailbox signalling apparatus



Aug. 18, 1964 HENDRICKSON MAILBOX SIGNALLING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed March 9, 1962 FlC-llcl Aug- 1964 R. G. HENDRICKSON MAILBOXSIGNALLING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 9, 1962 18, 1954 R. G.HENDRICKSON 3,144,986

MAILBOX SIGNALLING APPARATUS Filed March 9, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 O O O1 //Z I 1 3a 0 2 Aug- 1 1964 R. e. HENDRICKSON MAILBOX SIGNALLINGAPPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 9, 1962 e r- 3 M4 9% UnltedStates Patent cc f 3,

3144986 positions. The signalling device of the invention is MATLBOXSTGNALLHNG APPARATUS Ralph G. ll-liendricirson, 16 Duke St., Binghamton,N.Y. Filed Mar. 9, 1962, Ser. No. 178,649 3 Claims. (til. 232*35) Thisinvention relates to new and useful improvements in rural mailboxes, andmore particularly, to an improved rural mailbox which incorporatesimproved automatic signalling means. Rural mailboxes commonly andnecessarily are frequently mounted along a public roadside, at aconsiderable distance from the house whose occupants they serve, sincehomes in rural areas frequently are located far from public roadways forthe convenience and enjoyment of the occupants of the houses. In orderto avoid the necessity of a fruitless trip from the house to the mailboxin inclement weather, it has long been recognized that rural mailboxesmight well carry signalling devices, such as flags, which could beoperable by the postman when he delivers mail, so that householdinhabitants might be spared the frustrating experience of fruitlesstrips to the mailbox in inclement weather to determine whether or notthe mailman has left any letters or packages in the mailbox.

The signalling device of the present invention may be preadjusted by theboxholder or occupant of the household, either to recede or disappearwhen the mailman stops to pick up outgoing mail, or to protrude andappear when the mailman stops and inserts incoming mail in the mailbox.While a variety of previous attempts have been made to provide asuitable mailbox signalling device, most of them have been either toocomplex to build, too complex to operate, or difiicult to maintain inoperative condition over long periods of time in adverse climaticconditions.

Thus, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide animproved mailbox signalling device which is simple and economical, easyto operate, and easy to maintain.

It is another object of the instant invention to provide an improvedmailbox signalling device which may be so housed and disposed on themailbox to which it is attached as to be largely immune to thedeleterious effects of rain, snow, and ice.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improvedmailbox signalling device which may be added simply and economically toexisting installed rural mailboxes, and which also may be includedeasily in the construction of new mailboxes.

Yet another object of the instant invention is to provide an improvedmailbox signalling device which conforms closely to the contours of theconventional type rural mailbox, as specified in the regulations of theUnited States Post Ofiice Department, and, thus, is to a large degreefree from the hazard of injury by accidental engagement with vehicles,such as automobiles, trucks, agricultural implements, and snowplowswhich characterize many of the prior art devices.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in partappear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction,combination of elements, and arrangement of parts, which will beexemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope ofthe invention will be indicated in the appended claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the inventionreference should be had to the following detailed description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1 and la are perspective views of an illustrative embodiment ofthe invention in which certain parts are shown both in full lines and indotted lines in alternate shown in FIG. 1 in its pickup condition, i.e.,(solid lines) as set by the boxholder to indicate to the rural postmanthat mail should be collected therefrom and in its correspondingoperated condition (dotted lines), i.e., in the condition to which itautomatically goes after the mailman has picked up mail in response tothe raised flag.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the same embodiment of the presentinvention as shown in FIG. 1. In FIG. 2 the signalling device of theinvention is shown in its delivery condition (solid lines) i.e., as setby the boxholder for automatic operation of the flag to its vertical, orsignalling position when the mailman opens the box to leave mail; and inits operated condition (dotted lines), i.e., in the flag raisedcondition to which it: automatically goes after the rural postman hasopened the door to deposit mail.

FIG. 3 shown an alternative, or kit embodiment of the present invention,which is adapted to be readily fitted to existing rural mailboxes of thepresent, nonautomatic type with a minimum of tools and expense of laborand time.

FIG. 3a shows a detail view from FIG. 3 as indicated by arrows aa inFIG. 3.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show yet another embodiment of the instant invention whichis characterized by its freedom from the deleterious eiiects of exposureto rain, and ice and snow and crustation, and from. snagging byvehicles, agricultural implements, snow plows, and the like. FIG. 4aillustrates the apparatus of FIG. 4 in a flag-raised condition.

Referrin now to the drawings, reference numeral 1 indicates a mailboxhaving a compartment 2 for holding the mail and a door 3 pivotallyconnected at one end thereof. The door 3 is normally held shut by latch4 comprising a first part 5 mounted on the main body of the mailbox anda second part 6 mounted on door 3 having an outer and downwardlydepending protrusion adapted to the grasp in opening and closing thebox.

The conventional mailbox, so far described, will be adapted to bemounted either on a post 7, as when intended to serve a singleboxholder, or on a horizontal rail, when a plurality of mailboxes aregrouped together.

Reference numeral 9 indicates the signalling flag according to theinstant invention, which will be generally analogous in size, shape,location, and operation to the manually operated flags conventionallyemployed in cooperation with existing rural mailboxes. This flag may, ifdesired, be adapted to more ready visibility from a remotely locatedrural dwelling by being dipped in, sprayed with, or otherwise coatedwith highly reflective materials of the type now well known in the art.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, signal staff lltl may be comprised ofgenerally fiat stock and includes an elongated slot 11 by means of whichthe entire signal is rotatably and slidably mounted on pivot pin 12which is affixed at its rearward end to mailbox body 2. Thus, asillustrated in FIG. 1, flag, or other signal, 9 may, during a part ofits operating cycle, be moved from its signalling position wherein it isdesignated 5 and shown in solid lines to its retracted position whereinit is designated 9' and shown in dotted lines.

Reference numeral 13 indicates a spiral spring, or other resilientbiasing means, which will, in a preferred embodiment of invention, becomprised of flat spring stock. The inner end of spring 13, as shown inFIG. 1, is fixedly engaged to the outer portion of pivot pin 12 beyondstaff lltl by a sufiicient small amount to clear staff 10 and, thus, toallow signal 9 to be moved from its signalling position 9 to itsretracted position 9' without interference from spring 13. In apreferred embodiment of the invention the inner end of spring 13, forinstance, may be disposed in a slot formed in the outer end of pivot pin12, the plane of this slot being substantially coincident with the axisof pivot pin 12, and there riveted, welded, or otherwise fastened asmanufacturing convenience and maintenance considerations dictate.

Reference numeral 14 indicates a stop post which will be fixedly securedto the side of mailbox body 2 in carrying out the embodiment of theinvention illustrated in FIG. 1, and which may, if desired, comprise alarger diameter inner portion 14a and a smaller diameter outer portion14b. Portion 14a may extend outward from the surface of mailbox body 2by an amount sufiicient to act as a stop preventing flag statf fromturning further counterclockwise about pivot pin 12 than is indicated insolid lines in FIG. 1. Outer portion latching post 14b of stop pin 14will extend outward from the surface of mailbox body 2 by a sufficientdistance beyond the end of portion 14a as to be readily engageable bythe outer end of spring 13, which will be provided with a loop, orcurved portion, adapted to be readily engageable with, or disengageablefrom, latching post portion 14b.

As further shown in FIG. 1, a short pin or latching post 16 is providedupon staif 10, in such a position as to be readily engageable by theouter end of spring 13, the loop, or curved portion, describedhereinabove as being made a portion of the outer end of spring 13 beingadapted to engage latching post 16, or to be disengaged therefrom, bythe boxholder in accordance with the type of operation desired.

Nearer the rearward portion of box body 2, as shown in FIG. 1, a bracketgenerally designated 17 is rivetedly or otherwise affixed to box body 2.The upper end of bracket 17 is so formed as to provide a recess 17:: inwhich staff 10 will be disposed when signal 9 is in its retractedposition shown in phantom at 9. Bracket 17 also provides a lower loop17b which guides beam 18 between its forward and rearward positions asshown in solid and in phantom in FIG. 1. The forward portion of beam 18is provided with pivot 19 which is affixed to the edge portion of door3. Thus, when door 3 is in its closed position beam 18 will be disposedas shown in solid lines in FIG. 1, while at such time as door 3 is drawnto its forward position, by the rural postman or by the boxholder, stopbracket 20, which is affixed to box body 2, will hold beam 18 in thephantom, or dotted, position, thereby also restraining door 3 fromfurther forward motion.

For reasons which will be clearly set forth hereafter in describing theoperation of the present invention, beam 18 is equipped with an upwardlyextending arm 21. The upper end of arm 21, as shown in FIG. 1, isequipped with an outwardly extending stop 21a which, when beam 18 is inits rearward, or door closed position, will serve to restrain flag staff10 in its horizontal position if flag staff 10 is maintained in itshorizontal position while door 3 is being closed, and thereby beam 18moved through loop 171) rearwardly to the solid line position shown inFIG. 1.

In addition, beam 18 is provided with means generally forming releasableengaging means, or detaining means, wherein the lower end of staff 10may be engaged, or from which it may be released by opening door 3. Thisreleasable engaging means may comprise, for instance, two protuberances22 disposed on the top beam 18 at a distance apart approximately equalto the width of staff 10, these protuberances being formed integral withthe top of beam 18, or affixed to the top of beam 13 by welding,riveting, or otherwise.

As will be apparent when the operation of the present invention isdescribed hereinafter, the embodiment is shown in FIG. 1 as set for thepickup of mail, and for automatic operation upon the opening of door 3by the postman. Thus, flag 9 is shown in its upward, or signallingposition in solid lines; the operated position of the flag afteractuation of door 3 by the postman being indicated in phantom as 9.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the embodiment of the invention shown inFIG. 1, but with the View of flag 9 shown in solid lines indicating theposition of flag 9 and disposition of the other portions of theinvention, when the Signalling device of the invention is set to raisethe flag upon actuation of door 3 by the rural postman, therebyindicating to the boxholder at a remote position that mail has beendeposited therein. The phantom, or dotted, view of flag, or othersignal, 9, designated 9', shows the flag as it will be raised, and theoperation of the other parts of the invention, after actuation of door 3by the postman.

The reference numerals used in FIG. 2 to designate particular parts arethe same as those employed in FIG. 1 to designate corresponding parts,in order to facilitate understanding of the operation of the inventionas described hereinbelow.

Operation Referring, now, to FIG. 1, the invention operates toautomatically lower signal 9 upon actuation of door 3 by the postman inthe following manner.

The boxholder, when depositing mail to be picked up by the postman inmailbox 1, disengages the outer end of spring 13 from pin 16, if it isso engaged, and engages the outer end of spring 13 with the outerportion of stop pin 14b. The boxholder then raises signal 9 to itsvertical, or signalling (solid lines) position, and closes door 3, thussimply and expeditiously engaging the lower end of flag staff 14) withthe socket formed by protuberances 22, or other means, upon the top ofbeam 18, and locking flag 9 in its vertical position until such time asdoor 3 is opened.

Upon the opening of door 3 by the rural mail carrier for the removal ofthe mail deposited in the box by the box holder, the forward motion ofthe rear protuberance 22 on the top of beam 18, or the other socketmeans provided, and the downward movement, and ultimate disengagement ofthe socket means with the bottom portion of staff 10, permits signal 9to be actuated by gravity into its retracted (dotted lines) positionwherein it is supported by brackets 17a.

As will be evident from FIG. 1, the closing of door 3 by the postmancannot result in the re-raising of signal 9 because the lower portion ofstaff 10 is now in its hori zontal position 10' completely out ofengagement with beam 18. Thus, after the rural postman has closed door3, the device of the invention will have automatically retracted signal9, and the boxholder will thereby be able to determine from his remotelylocated dwelling that the mail which he deposited in the mail box hasbeen picked up, without any effort or thought on the part of the ruralpostman, and without the possibility that the rural postman may havefailed to retract the flag, necessitating a trip to the box by theboxholder after the normal time of the postmans rounds to determinewhether the mail has, in fact, been picked up.

Referring now to FIG. 2. The manner of setting the device of'theinvention to automatically indicate, by raising the flag 9, when door 3of box 1 has been opened by the postman is shown.

In order to set the device of the invention for automatic deliveryindication, the boxholder merely maintains flag staff 14) in ahorizontal position (solid lines), closes door 3, and engages the outerend of spring 13 with pin 16. As will be apparent from FIG. 2, theoutwardly extending upper end, stop 21a, of arm 21 will then engage thelower edge of staff 10 and prevent staff 10 from being actuated into itsvertical (dotted lines) position 10' by the action of spring 13 pullingagainst pin 16. When, however, door 3 is opened by the rural postmanmaking a delivery, stop 21a is actuated into its forward position 21a,thereby freeing the lower end of staff 10 to be impelled into itsvertical position by the action of spring 13. When door 3 is closed bythe postman the rearward and upward movement of beam 18 will cause thesocket means 22, 22 to engage the lower end staff 10 and firmly retainstaff 10 in its vertical position 10, thus maintaining flag 9 in itsvertical, or signalling position 9', and thereby notifying the boxholderthat the delivery has been made.

It will thus be seen that the device of the instant invention operatesexpeditiously, simply, and automatically to notify the boxholder at aremote location either of the pickup of mail which has been deposited inthe box, or of the delivery of mail when no mail has been left in thebox.

As may be seen from FIG. 3, taken in conjunction with the respectiveviews of FIGS. 1 and 2, the device of the instant invention is uniquelyadapted for a supply to owners of existing rural mailboxes in kit formwhereby the invention may be simply, quickly, and expeditiouslyinstalled on existing rural mailboxes employing a minimum of tools, andtime. As shown in FIG. 3, the entire operating mechanism of the instantinvention, with the exception of pivot 19, may be supplied to rural boxholders pre-mounted upon a plate 25. Plate 25 will, in this embodiment,be equipped with 4 mounting holes 26, 27, 28, and 29. In a preferredembodiment of this kit form of the invention, the rural boxholder willalso be supplied with self-tapping sheet metal screws such that plate 25may be disposed against the side of the mailbox to be equipped withbracket 30 (see FIG. 3a) disposed against the front of the closed doorthereof, and lower guide edge 31 of plate 25 maintained in alignmentwith the lower edge of the mailbox, at which time the position of holes26, 27, 28, and 29, may be scribed, or otherwise marked, on the side ofthe mailbox, and the position of hole 32 marked on the door of themailbox with beam 18 maintained horizontal. The five holes so locatedmay be punched or drilled in the mailbox and its door, and plate 25repositioned and screwed to the mailbox with the aforementionedself-tapping screws. Then, upon fastening bracket 30 to the door of themailbox with a further, supplied, self-tapping screw through hole 32into the fifth drilled hole in the door of the mailbox, the installationof the kit embodiment of the invention will have completed with anabsolute minimum of labor, tooling and expended time.

In FIGS. 4 and 5 is shown an additional embodiment of the instantinvention incorporating all of the advantages of the embodiments shownin FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 3a, while at the same time being relativelyimpervious to the deleterious effects of rain, and snow and ice andcrustation. FIG. 4 is a view of this embodiment showing generally itsmechanical operation in which shield 35, shown more particularly in FIG.5, and operating door 36, also shown more particularly in FIG. 5, areindicated by phantom lines. As will be apparent from FIG. 4, thisembodiment differs from that of FIGS. 1 and 2, and more particularlyfrom that of FIG. 3, only in the construction of flag staff 10, and theaddition of a stop 102 which is substituted for stop 17a of the priorembodiments. The flag staff of this embodiment consists of a firstportion 103 which corresponds in structure and function to the lowerportion of flag staff of the previous embodiments. It will be noticedthat the righthand end of stub flag staff 103 is equipped with pin 16,in a position corresponding to the position of pin 16 on staff 10 of theprevious embodiments. Between the location of pin 16 and pivot pin 12,and so located as to clear spring 13, auxiliary flag staff 101 is fixedto stub staff 103 at right angles thereto. Also, auxiliary staff 101 isbent outwardly as shown at 165 by a small amount which is of sufficientlength as to insure that flag 901 clears bracket 17 when stub staff 103is rotated about pivot pin 12 from its retracted position as shown inFIG. 4 to its flag raised position, as illustrated in FIG. 4a.

As shown in FIG. 5, weather shield 35 is equipped with a slot 40' at itsrearward portion whereby flag 901 may,

when stub flag staff 103 is locked in its vertical position, protrude aconsiderable distance above the upper edge of the mail box, thusproviding a signal to the remotely located boxholder, withoutnecessitating a slot or other hole in the upper roof portion of weathershield which would permit water to drip directly down into the operatingmechanism of the device and thereby impair its operation. Similarly, aslot is provided in the forward edge of weather shield 35 which issufficient to provide clearance for the movement of the forward end ofbeam 18 and arm 21 (not shown in FIG. 5), without necessitating a breakin the top roof portion of shield 35 which would permit the dripping ofwater onto the moving parts of the device such as to impair itsoperation. A pressed, or otherwise formed, roof 41 may be provided forslot 40 and its rearwardly located counterpart. Door 36, as will beevident, is provided to enable the boxholder to engage and disengagespring 13 with stop 14 and pin 16. This door 36 may be convenientlyprovided with a raising handle 38, and may be hinged along its top edgeas indicated at 37, a roof 39 being provided such that direct drippageof water will not impair the operation of binge 37.

It is to be understood that the various forms of my invention, herewithshown and described, are to be taken as preferred examples thereof, andthat various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may beresorted to, without departing from the spirit of my invention, or thescope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. An automatic signalling device for a. mailbox having a door at oneend hinged to open outwardly, comprising: a beam hinged at its forwardend to said door and slidably disposed in a loop affixed to a side ofsaid mailbox at a location remote from said door; a pivot affixed tosaid mailbox; a staff rotatably mounted on said pivot and longitudinallyslidable with respect to said pivot; signal means mounted upon saidstaff and adapted to be carried thereby from a displayed position to aretracted position; resilient biasing means having one end thereofaffixed to said mailbox and the other end thereof selectively engageablewith first anchoring means affixed to said mailbox or second anchoringmeans affixed to said staff; detaining means on said beam for selectiveengagement with said staff; and stop means mounted on said beam foralternative engagement with said staff.

2. An automatic signalling device for mailbox having a door at one endhinged to open outwardly, comprising: a mounting plate adapted to bemounted on the side of said mailbox; a beam having a pivot at one endadapted to be attached to the door of said mailbox. and arranged toslide through a loop affixed to said plate; a pivot affixed to saidplate; a staff rotatably and slidably mounted on said pivot; signalmeans mounted upon said staff and adapted to be carried thereby from adisplayed position to a retracted position; resilient biasing meanshaving one end thereof affixed to said plate and the other end thereofselectively engageable with first anchoring means afiixed to said plateor second anchoring means affixed to said staff; detaining means on saidbeam for selective engagement with said staff; and stop means mounted onsaid beam for detaining said staff against the action of said resilientbiasing means.

3. An automatic signalling device for a mailbox having a door at one endthereof hinged to open downwardly, including an operating mechanismcomprising: a beam hinged at its forward end to said door and slidablydisposed in a loop affixed to the side of said mailbox at a locationremote from said door; a pivot afixed to said mailbox; a staff rotatablyand slidably mounted on said pivot and comprising two sections disposedsubstantially at right angles to each other; signal means mounted uponone of said sections and adapted to be carried from it displayedposition to a retracted position thereby; resilient biasing means havingone end thereof fixed with respect to said mailbox and the other endthereof selectively engageable with first anchoring means afilxed tosaid mailbox or second anchoring means affixed to the other of saidsections; detaining means on said beam for selective engagement withsaid other of said sections; stop means affixed to said beam forselective engagement with said other of said sections; and shield meanssubstantially covering said operating mechanism and having clearanceopenings for said beam and said one of said sections, and having anunperforated top portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSDoetsch Oct. 15, 1957 Abell NOV. 5, 1957 Carey May 13, 1958 Paschke Nov.11, 1958 Hickman Feb. 24, 1959 Wing May 15, 1962

1. AN AUTOMATIC SIGNALLING DEVICE FOR A MAILBOX HAVING A DOOR AT ONE ENDHINGED TO OPEN OUTWARDLY, COMPRISING: A BEAM HINGED AT ITS FORWARD ENDTO SAID DOOR AND SLIDABLY DISPOSED IN A LOOP AFFIXED TO A SIDE OF SAIDMAILBOX AT A LOCATION REMOTE FROM SAID DOOR; A PIVOT AFFIXED TO SAIDMAILBOX; A STAFF ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID PIVOT AND LONGITUDINALLYSLIDABLE WITH RESPECT TO SAID PIVOT; SIGNAL MEANS MOUNTED UPON SAIDSTAFF AND ADAPTED TO BE CARRIED THEREBY FROM A DISPLAYED POSITION TO ARETRACTED POSITION; RESILIENT BIASING MEANS HAVING ONE END THEREOFAFFIXED TO SAID MAILBOX AND THE OTHER END THEREOF SELECTIVELY ENGAGEABLEWITH FIRST ANCHORING MEANS AFFIXED TO SAID MAILBOX OR SECOND ANCHORINGMEANS AFFIXED TO SAID STAFF; DETAINING MEANS ON SAID BEAM FOR SELECTIVEENGAGEMENT WITH SAID STAFF; AND STOP MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID BEAM FORALTERNATIVE ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID STAFF.